A Catching Up Post

Popping in with a little random slice of life this week and some of last.

Cold weather descended on north Florida very early this year. I am not complaining since I was pretty much over the heat that the last two summers have brought, but wow, it was unusually cold. It can get below freezing here in January and sometimes even February, but those freezing temps are one or two nights and only for the couple of hours just before sunrise. Folks, it was below freezing for about 6 hours the other night. I was charged with making sure the heat lamps were on the lemon tree. Hubby had to go out of town for work this week, so he set this scene up around the lemon tree on Monday.

IT got down to 28 and it was 28 for a couple of hours.

It worked and quite honestly most of the lemons could be picked already. I have already brought in about 8. We weren't really worried about our harvest of the lemons, but the tree itself.

I think it is fine, but a few of my plants in pots may have gotten blistered and will need to be replaced. I really just didn't think it would actually get that cold, but alas it did!

I was on a roll last week with cooking at home. We had been rushing out way too much and I put a stop to it and got busy cooking. I came across a new chicken tortilla soup recipe and doctored it a wee bit. It was extremely good with my additions.
The original recipe can be found here...https://www.recipegirl.com/chicken-tortilla-soup/?utm_campaign=yummly&utm_medium=yummly&utm_source=yummly

I made some changes that I definitely think kicked it up a notch, but the basic idea of this recipe was good.
***I didn't have tomato juice so I used a large can of tomato sauce and a little water to rinse out the can. I also used fire roasted diced tomatoes rather than plain.
***I did use fresh cilantro and basil, but I think from the spice rack would have been just fine.
***Two other changes...I doubled all of the spices (chili powder, cumin, and garlic powder) After getting it going I felt it was a bit too bland for our household. We like spicy, so I did another round of each of these. IT was worth it!
***The final change was a fresh diced jalapeño pepper. It was definitely needed.

The soup was really good. I printed it off and added my changes to the copy.

All that soup making and spice using made me think of a Christmas gift for my son. He loves to cook, so I think I am going to get him a spice rack. I think he will like that idea. It isn't something he is going to go out and get himself.

Let's see, my mind is trying to think Thanksgiving and Christmas at the same time. I plan to go shopping for Thanksgiving next week, so I am trying to get my list of things needed together. We will eat at my sister-in-law's just around the corner this year. The farm is sold and I know all will miss the day there, but it was a huge load off of my mind. IT was WAY too much to handle and care for. It is in the hands of a wonderful family who plan to build a home where the existing home is and their daughter will build on the back side.

I have been looking through old Christmas magazines. I haven't bought any new ones and don't plan to. I don't think there is anything new under the sun. A few years ago I put a basket under the coffee table to store just my old December magazines. I have quite a collection and really enjoy pulling them out each year to get inspired. I think last year I felt I had just the right amount of Christmas decorations out and will do pretty much the same things. Of course, this year I will have new stockings.

One of my absolute favorite Christmas magazines is from December 1990. It is a Colonial Homes magazine. I have held onto it for a long time. There was one home that just alway captured my attention. It still makes me swoon.

Oh and I saw that Kelly at the former blog Talk of the House has brought gingham back into her new lake home. I liked what she was doing to the lake house, but her home was just perfect at Christmas. I am excited she is bringing it back. I miss her blog. Y'all Instagram is just not my thing. I have several things I love to follow, but it is just not the same as a blog.

Let's see...Tucker is just the best. I am noticing that he is happily moving around and exploring which has kept me on my toes, but I must say a jar of straws is a better toy than any purchased item. I find that he is often content with jar lids from a drawer than all the store bought toys in the world. But, we all know that!

We are headed to Auburn for the Georgia game this weekend. It is always my favorite game of the year. I have always thought it is a true fun rival not an insane event like the one at the end of the season. It should be nippy so I will get to use the warm clothes.

I joke that this weather brings out my LLBean clothes. I have a few things that come from there, a flannel shirt, a pull over, and even a jacket. Those can only be worn in really cold weather, because they are much thicker than the usual winter fare for Florida. I pulled them out this year a bit earlier.

The game is during the day, so I am hoping Hubby will build a fire for me outdoors on Saturday evening. I love sitting by an outdoor fire about as much as anything you can do.

I will share some stitching next week when I get back.

Until then - Stay warm and War Eagle!
Sandy

Gus's frisbee that was on the deck had a full circle of ice.

A Stitching Finish and Some Random Things

I finished my first stitch of 2018 on Monday just before the Auburn game which ended horribly. Oh well, no more college football until next August.

I actually tried to finish this in 2017, but I just couldn't stay up long enough. I decided to open the door and let 2017 out and 2018 in with the Eastern time midnight. Have any of you heard that superstition before? I called it quits at 11:00 our time and fell asleep the minute my head hit the pillow.

I am not sure how I am going to frame it yet. It is just enough of an odd size that I may have to take it in to be done, but I do want it framed. I am going to display it in my sewing room where I spend a lot of time. I think this will be a good reminder of what is important.

I started my next project last night. It is Betsy's Tart by Plum Street Samplers. Arlene @ Nanaland gifted this to me. I spent some time trying to decide if I could actually see the holes on 36 count and then whether to use 1 or 2 strands. I opted on 1. If I don't go blind, it should be a cutie.

Hubby and I spent a few days out of town after Christmas. It is always nice to get away for some quiet time with him. 

We headed to the cabin and our friends from Huntsville came down to their place in Auburn. We attended a girl's basketball game, a boy's basketball game, an antique sale, and ate out at my most favorite place. It was a good few days before Hubby returned to work. 

The antique sale was held in Pine Mountain, Georgia. I have visited the store, Sweet Home Antiques many times, but they have a tent sale each year after they visit England and buy a shipping cart full of stuff. I have wanted to go many times even though I was sure nothing would be in my price range. It was very cool indeed.

I made four purchases which I will show you three of today. 

First up is a table that I plan to put in my bedroom. I have a nook that I have not been happy with for some time. For many years we had a desk in the corner and it was nice. We sold the desk and replaced it with an armoire that I have never really liked. That was buyer's remorse. We had gotten it at a good price as it was a floor model. I piled it up with clothes like sweaters, gym clothes, etc. 

I am finally getting my wish. It will be picked up next week.

I am going to keep it simple with the chair and table I purchased. I got a lamp yesterday at Goodwill. Mother has a shade that I may cover with cloth. We will see.

This will slide right where the cabinet is behind it.

Next up is the church pew. I sweated over this one. In fact, my friend bought it and was really looking for a bench. After she purchased it, the owner told her he had more in town at the store. She liked one in the store more, so I bought this one from her. I wasn't sure if I had a place for it, but we decided to go for it. (I have another idea for it if I end up not liking it here.)

I have placed it in my foyer for now. I have given you several views. I haven't put anything on it for now, because I think anything would be a Gus magnet right now.

Speaking of Gus, he is wandering around in the next two. He is growing. New pictures of him coming soon.

I think I really like the church pew and won't be sorry I bought it. 

The piece I really fell in love with may be the one I shouldn't have purchased. It is called a Canterbury, I think. It was designed to hold sheet music. I could see magazines!

I love it right now! I like magazines and they are a weakness for me, but have y'all noticed that so many of them have the same houses in them every few years. Has it always been that way? I guess if I just stuck to a couple I wouldn't notice. I really thought Southern Living was making a comeback after this past year. I really enjoyed it, but the January issue is so small. It isn't a bad issue, but it makes me wonder if is going to make it. There is so much competition these days and it really went through a bad spell there for awhile. IT was once the premier magazine for us southern ladies.

It does seem that this purchase could be the one I wouldn't want in a few years, especially if magazines go completely out of vogue and all become digital. What would I use it for then? Time will tell.

Oh well, Hubby is back to work and I have tons to do today...first up going to the gym. I normally go early, but the cold is holding me until 9:00 AM. I will probably be there when all the ladies in the cute gym clothes show up and I am not that lady! Oh well...at least, I am going,

Have a great day and stay warm,

Sandy

Magazine Love Part 2

Yesterday, I posted about how my love of magazines began here. My choices have definitely changed though. Well obviously, I am not into Seventeen anymore, but it is more than that. I think I am aging, and I think some of the magazines are trying really hard to appeal to a younger audience. 

My go to magazine for many years is one of those that I think is trying hard to appeal to a younger audience and in turn has lost me. Lately, I have been drawn to Southern Lady. It definintely has become my new favorite. 

I am not being paid, just giving my thoughts. I have found that over the last year, that I have looked forward to its arrival on the shelves. It is a bimonthly magazine, but they have special editions that come out on the alternate months, so really I see something on the shelf every month. The photographs are so large and pretty. I have to say it just fits my style more.

Since, they do the specials on the alternate months, I still get the every month excitement. They do one called Southern Homes and then seasonal magazines.

I am also crushing on one named the Cottage Journal. I am not sure the name fits the content. 

The latest issue of the Cottage Journal  has a house that I am so smitten with.

It is decorated around the colors of the sunset.

I am absolutely swooning over this kitchen.

The colors are gorgeous.

And this staircase....

My husband loves Garden and Gun, and I do too. Very high end marketing in it, though. I love the dog story each month, since I am a dog lover. It has great articles featuring southern artists, music, restaurants, etc.

Many magazines are laden with ads these days. I know that is a necessity, but I guess that is another thing I have noticed about my new choices. The ads fit me better. I know I am getting older, but I am not thinking young people are looking and buying magazines anyway. I could be very wrong there.

I don't buy as many myself because of the high volume of ads. I really pick them up and look hard before I buy. If there is not something I really want to read or see long term, I don't purchase. We can read so much on the Internet these days that I think that slowed me down on buying magazines as well.  I rarely ever look at a style magazine. I just look at the stores I like on the Internet, and Pinterest. 

I don't know ....maybe blogs have really replaced that for us as well. I am sure many magazines have felt the crunch.

I do like Southern Lady though, and will continue to purchase, because I really love it. All others, will get a once over in the store and some thought before I fork over the cash ....card.

I think magazines may be dinosaurs in the not so distant future.

Sandy

Magazine Love Part 1

The first issue of my very own magazine delivered to my house was the April 1975 issue of Seventeen with Susan Ford on the cover. I read every page and devoured every morsel of its goodness. (I was a Freshman in high school)

Ebay

 Seventeen was my go to magazine of the high school years.

1976 issues...

Another of my favorite issues was the "back to school" August 1976 Seventeen....

Here are two pages from the above "back to school" issue. Any clothing styles ringing a bell with you?

I also remember reading COED in the home economics room. I loved home economics, hence my degree in it. Mrs. Cotton always kept those issues out for us to read when she got busy with things going on in the school. (She organized everything in the school. I actually think most schools have an extra paid position for those jobs now.)

And yes, you are seeing that correctly...Bruce Jenner before Hollywood.

When I was in college, I fell in love with Southern Living. Its arrival after I married and had my first home was always a welcome sight in the mail. Southern Living of the mid eighties to late nineties were my favorites. It is funny to look back at them now, because magazines have come a long way since then with color and photography. However, those issues are still some of my favorites. 

The Southern Living June 1982 issue remains one of my favorites to this day. I was living in the home management house at Auburn University that summer. It was a requirement to live one quarter in the house. You had to plan and throw a party, make a home improvement, etc. That was my go to magazine for recipes that summer, but that one issue was awesome. The home management house stay is a post all in itself. Maybe one day. Fun times! with coming together and trying to make things work for the professors' visits when it really wasn't working at all.

Photo is from the cookbook of that year.

My magazine choices have changed and I will share with you my latest faves in an upcoming post.

I still love the printed magazine. There is just something about stopping to sit in my favorite spot and peruse one for ideas. I know there is so much on the web these days from blogs to Pinterest and that I love also, but I love the feel of the magazine in my hand. I have not passed it on to my daughter. She is an all digital girl. Not sure if that is just her or all girls her age. It is that change that has made my choice of magazines different? Some change is good, but not all. More on that later.

You may ask why I have actual copies of magazines that old. I am a pack rat, but not that big of one. For many years, my hubby and I worked with the youth. Whether it was delivering the Wednesday evening message in the youth room or leading a small group to teaching in Sunday School, we worked to make it relevant and interesting to come to for the young people. 

In a discussion about how things have changed and how you have to weed through the stuff to make sure it fits Philippians 4:8 Test, I actually ordered some old magazines on Ebay for my girls to look through. There was quite a difference in the articles from then to now.

What was your favorite magazine growing up?

More on my favorite magazines of today coming, but I am going to leave you with a few ads from the above magazines. I love the Lane hope chest ad. Anyone remember that one?

Sandy

"Finally, brethren, whatever is true, whatever is honorable, whatever is right, whatever is pure, whatever is lovely, whatever is of good repute, if there is any excellence and if anything worthy of praise, let your mind dwell on these things." ---Philippians 4:8

Linking up with...

Dwellings - the Heart of Your Home
http://www.dwellings-theheartofyourhome.com/2015/05/amaze-me-monday-112.html

and

A Bowl Full of Lemons
http://www.abowlfulloflemons.net/2015/05/one-project-at-a-time-52615.html

and

Karen's Up on the Hill
http://www.karensuponthehill.com/something-to-talk-about-link-party-18/